Feeding device for panel material working machine



Nov. 26, 1968 NORIYUKI NAGAOKA 3,412,997

FEEDING DEVICE FOR PANEL MATERIAL WORKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 13, 1967 FIG. 3

FIG. 2

United States Patent 3,412,997 FEEDING DEVICE FOR PANEL MATERIAL WORKING MACHINE Noriyuki Nagaoka, Nagoya-shi, Japan, assignor to Kabushiki Kaisha Teihei Seisakusho, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken, Japan Filed Jan. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 609,029 Claims priority, application Japan, Jan. 14, 1966, 41/ 3,054 1 Claims. (Cl. 271-69) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A panel material fed toward the working tool of a panel material working machine is maintained in true alignment with its leading edge always perpendicular to its direction of travel by being inserted a substantial distance between front feed rolls at a speed higher than the initial peripheral speed of the front rolls, which are driven through overrunning clutches functioning to permit the rolls to over-run upon being contacted by the panel material and to rotate without slippage thereby to prevent the driving action of the rolls from disturbing the alignment of the panel material.

This invention relates to machines for working materials of plate or panel form and more particularly to improvements in automatic feeding devices for feeding panel materials to machines such as a cross-cutting machine after the materials have been processed in a double-saw longitudinal cutting machine.

In general, machines for accomplishing sawing, cutting, grinding, sanding and other machining processes on panel materials such as plywood, fiberboard, particle board, plasterboard, and like panel-form materials are provided before and after their working sections with one or more pairs of opposed rolls for clamping the surfaces of the panel materials and serving to convey the materials in a manner to prevent them from undergoing uncontrolled movements.

Such means, however, are generally accompanied by the following problem. When the front (or leading) edge of a rectangular panel material is forced into the gap between the first pair of rolls, and as the panel material is then sent downstream, there is a tendency in many cases of the parallel relationship between the front edge of the material and the axes of the rolls to be disturbed. The greatest cause of this phenomenon is the frequent existence of a difference between the thicknesses of the panel material on the left and right sides thereof as viewed in the direction of travel. When such a diiference exists, the thicker side tends to lead, that is, to advance ahead of the thinner side even when the front edge of the material has been initially introduced between the first rolls with a parallel disposition relative to the roll axes. As a result, the panel material advances with an askew orientation. This askew misalignment is aggravated, of course, when the front edge of the material and the roll axes are not parallel from the very beginning. In addition, warps and curvatures in the panel material are also major causes of this phenomenon.

The elimination of the above-mentioned undesirable phenomenon is a problem also in machines for carrying out cutting, grinding, and like processes on the planar surfaces of panel materials. The solution of this problem has been urgently needed particularly in machines in which the perpendicularity between adjacent longitudinal and transverse edges of the panel material is of vital importance as in the case of double saws.

It is an object of the present invention to solve the above described problem.

3,412,997 Patented Nov. 26, 1968 More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a device for feeding panel material to the working tool of a panel material working machine with true perpendicular alignment of the leading edge of the material with respect to the direction of travel of the material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above stated character of relatively simple construction and arrangement of parts and simple operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above stated character in which there is little possibility of damage to the product, i.e., the panel material being worked.

The foregoing objects, as well as other objects and advantageous features of the present invention have been achieved by the present invention, according to which, briefly stated, there is provided a device for feeding panel material to the working tool of a panel material working machine, which device comprises at least one pair of opposed front rolls disposed in front of the working tool with their axes perpendicular to the direction of travel of the material and adapted to clamp the material therebetween, the front rolls being provided with means whereby the gap therebetween and their clamping force can be adjusted in accordance with the thickness and material nature of the panel material and means whereby the axis of one of the front rolls is maintained parallel to one surface of the panel material in a plane perpendicular to the direction of travel of the material, over-running clutches respectively provided on the shafts of the front rolls, and an alignment member whereby the panel material is inserted with its leading edge perpendicular to the direction of its travel for a substantial distance between the rolls at a speed higher than the initial peripheral speed of the rolls, the alignment member thereafter being slowed down or stopped and then committing to the rolls the function of maintaining the material in accurate alignment.

The nature, principle, utility, and details of the invention will be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description with respect to a preferred embodiment of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated by like reference numerals.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view showing the general composition and arrangement of the essential parts of the embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, showing an example of a mechanism for adjusting the gap between a pair of rolls and the clamping pressure therebetween;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section showing an example of an over-running clutch provided at the ends of the shaft of each front roll of the device according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the over-running clutch as illustrated in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a cam roller used in the over-running clutch as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the machine for working a panel workpiece 1 is provided with a working tool such as, for example, a circular saw 6 which is driven in the arrow direction D by a driving shaft not shown, two pairs of front rolls 2, 2a, two pairs of rear rolls 3, 3a, over-running clutches 4, 4a installed at the ends of the shafts of the four front rolls 2, 2a, and alignment members 5, 5 mounted on an endless =be1t7 which is driven in the arrow direction D by a conventional driving wheel 8 and a guide wheel 9 to which said endless belt is hung, said driving wheel being driven by a suitable mechanical power source such as an electric motor not shown. The rear rolls 3 and 3a are driven by a suitable mechanical power source (not shown) of known type through a suitable gear means and or coupling means. In this case, only the lower side rolls can be used as the driven rolls and the upper side rolls may be used as the guide rolls. The rolls 2 and 2a are driven through said over-running clutches 4 and 4a. Detailed construction and operation of the over-running clutches will be described hereinafter in connection with FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.

The driving wheel 8, over-running clutches 4, 40, rolls 2, 2a and rolls 3, 3a can be driven independently by their respective driving powers such as electric motors, but they may be driven by a common driving power through suitable gear means and or coupling means.

While the working tool 6 is a circular saw in the example illustrated, the invention is applicable with equal ef- 'fectiveness to machines provided with other working tools such as a milling cutter, abrasive wheel, abrasive cloth or paper sander, planer, and band saw.

Each of the rolls 2, 2a and 3, 30: has an outer working surface which has been precisely finished and rotates about an axis perpendicular to the intended direction of travel of workpiece 1. The rolls of each pair are disposed in opposed positions for clamping the opposite faces of the workpiece being conveyed.

The gaps between the rolls 2, 2a and rolls 3, 3a which are clamping the panel workpiece and their respective clamping forces can be adjusted beforehand in accordance with the average thickness and the nature of the material of the panel workpiece by a conventional suitable known means as illustrated in FIG. 2, in which the lower roll 2a is supported by a bearing support 10 which is fixedly supported by a frame member 12, the upper roll 2 is supported by a bearing support 11 which is supported by the frame member 12 so as to be slidable in, the vertical direction, an adjuster 14 is screwed in the threaded opening of a support 13 atfixed to the frame member 12, a fastening screw 19 is screwed on said adjuster 14, a spring 16 is inserted between the lower surface of said adjuster 14 and the upper surface of said bearing support 11, and a rod 15 passing freely through the center hole of said adjuster 14 is fixed at its bottom base to the upper part of the bearing support 11, said rod 15 being provided at its upper threaded part 17 with stop screws 18 screwed on said part 17.

In the adjusting device as illustrated in FIG. 2, if the fastening screw 19 is unfastened and the adjuster 14 is screwed down by rotating the part 14a, the bearing support 11 is lowered through the spring 16, and if the adadjustor 14 is screwed up by rotating the part 14a in the counter direction, the screws 18 are pushed upward by the 0 part 14a, whereby the rod 15 and accordingly the bearing support 11 are raised. As described above, the bearing support 11 is adjusted up and down, whereby the roll 2 is adjusted up and down so as to adjust the gap between the rolls 2 and 2a. Of course, when a panel workpiece is inserted between the rolls 2 and 2a, the bearing support 11 is automatically raised while compressing the spring 16 because the rod 15 is freely raised together with the screws 18. The gap between two upper and lower opposing rolls may be adjusted by other means as, for example, an adjusting device of fluid control type. The adjusting device as shown in FIG. 2 is provided, at both sides of the rolls 2, 2a and 3, 3a, on each pair of the upper and lower opposing bearings supports 11 and 10.

Each of the front rolls 2, 2a is driven by a suitable mechanical power source of known type such as an electric motor through an over-running clutch 4 or 4a, said clutch 4 (or 4 a) being illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 in detail.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the clutch 4 comprises an outer chain wheel 21 driven by an electric motor through a chain belt 25, an inner race 22 fixed to the shaft of the roll 2, a plurality of cam rollers 23 inserted between said chain wheel and inner race, each of said rollers 23 having such recesses at both end sides thereof as shown fit clearly in FIG. 5 and spring-rings 24 which are engaged in said recesses 24.

When the chain wheel 21 of the clutch 4 is rotated, through a chain belt by a conventional driving means, the roll 2 is driven at the same speed as that of the chain wheel through the cam rollers 23 and inner race 22 because said cam rollers 23 are forcibly engaged with the inner race 22 and chain wheel 21. However, if the roll 2 is pushed by the workpiece so as to over run, the cam rollers 23 will disengage from the chain wheel 21 and inner race 22, whereby the chain wheel 21 will become free, that is, the clutch 4 will slip out. The same operation occurs in connection with the roll 2a and the over-running clutch 4a, and when the workpiece is clamped completely between the rolls 2 and 2a and the force pushing the workpiece becomes zero, the clutches 4 and 4a operate normally and drive the rolls 2 and 2a so as to feed the workpiece.

The alignment member 5 need not always be a member having a single straight edge but may be in the form, for example, of teeth secured at accurately aligned, opposed positions respectively on two parallel endless belts with synchronized operation.

The panel workpiece feeding device of the above described construction and arrangement according to the invention operates in the following manner.

All rolls 2, 2a and 3, 3a are started and maintained in rotating state. Then, the endless belt 7 having the alignment members 5 is started, and each panel workpiece 1 is placed in front of an alignment member 5 to be pushed thereby and inserted into the gap between the front rolls 2, 2a at a speed which is higher than the initial peripheral speeds of the rolls 2, 2a and 3, 3a. Thereupon, the front rolls 2, 2a provided with overrunning clutches 4, 4a over-run and rotate with a peripheral speed conciding with speed of insertion of the workpiece 1.

After the panel workpiece 1 has been inserted an amply deep distance into the gap between the front rolls, 2, 2a, travel of the endless belt and the advance of the alignment member 5 is slowed down or is stopped. Thereupon, the over-running operation of the over-running clutches 4 is terminated, and, thereafter, the panel workpiece 1 is fed to the working tool 6 by the front rolls 2, 2a which have returned to their original peripheral speeds.

According to the present invention, the panel work piece 1 is maintained in correct alignment by the alignment member 5 as it is fed thereby until it has been inserted an amply deep distance into the gap between the front rolls 2, 2a. Then, before the alignment member 5 is slowed down or stopped, whereby the over-running of the over-running clutches is terminated, and the alignment of insertion becomes dependent principally on the front rolls 2, 2a, the front rolls 2, 2a are caused to be in firm contact with the panel workpiece 1 by their clamping pressure mechanisms which also permit the left and right ends of the rolls to undergo minute movements independently in a plane perpendicular to the direction of insertion of the panel material 1.

Therefore, even when the panel workpiece 1 has different left and right thicknesses, it can be sent to the working tool 6 while its alignment during advance is maintained with ample accuracy.

Furthermore, when a panel workpiece 1 Whose front and rear (leading and trailing) edges are not parallel is inserted, only one part of the front edge thereof enters earlier than the other parts into the gap between the front rolls 2, 2a. Even in this case, since the panel workpiece 1 is forced into the gap between the front rolls at an insertion speed which is higher than the initial peripheral speed of the front rolls 2, 2a, correct alignment during insertion is still assured by the alignment memher 5.

Because of the use of the over-running clutches 4 and 4a, relative slippage between the front rolls 2, 2a and the surface of the panel workpiece 1 does not occur, and, moreover, the resistance to insertion is low. Therefore, the present invention affords protection of the surfaces of the panel workpiece 1 and prevention of indentation damage due to the alignment member 5 to the rear (trailing) edge of the panel workpiece 1, which protective features cannot be attained by inserting the panel workpiece at a speed higher than the peripheral speed of front rolls without over-running clutches.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modification of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure, which do not constittue departures from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

1. A device for feeding panel workpiece in a certain insertion path to and past the working tool of a panel workpiece working machine, said device comprising, in combination:

at least one pair of opposed front rolls with adjustable gap therebetween disposed on the insertion side of the working tool with their axes transverse to said path and adapted to clamp the panel workpiece therebetween;

clamping means for adjusting the gap between said front rolls in accordance with the thickness and material of the panel workpiece;

means for holding the axis of the roll on one side parallel to one surface of the panel workpiece in a plane transverse to said path;

over-running clutches coupled respectively to the shafts of the front rolls;

driving means for driving the front rolls through said over-running clutches;

an alignment member for accomplishing the operation of pushing the trailing edge of the panel workpiece to insert the leading edge thereof into the gap between said front rolls at a speed higher than the normal peripheral speed of the rolls and thereafter committing to said front rolls the function of maintaining the true alignment of insertion of the panel workpiece after the panel material has been thus inserted a sufiiciently deep distance between said front rolls; and

means to drive said alignment member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,467,423 4/ 1949 Bruker 27169 3,311,369 3/1967 Pitt 271-49 3,265,383 8/1966 Shute 271-11 RICHARD E. AEGERTER, Primary Examiner. 

